That Wasn't Meant for You
by iowatobroadway
Summary: A year after The Tonys, one necklace changes everything. Cartwills.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This takes place about a year after the finale. I wanted to write a Cartwills fic where Ivy had the baby, and this was in my head, so it needed to be written. I thought before that this might just be a one-shot, but it looks like I'll be continuing it. Thank you for reading!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the sadly canceled "Smash" or any of the characters. I am only borrowing them, and I would plan to return them, but there is unfortunately no longer a series to return them to. Thus, they live on in fanfic.

* * *

"This is so beautiful, Derek. When were you planning to give it to me?"

Derek hadn't meant for Ivy to see that necklace. He had carelessly left it just sitting on the dresser. Derek thought about lying to Ivy and claiming he was going to give it to her for her birthday, but he couldn't. He couldn't lie to her anymore.

"That wasn't meant for you," he said softly. "I'm sorry, Ivy."

"It's meant for her, isn't it?"

That was sadness on Ivy's face but not surprise. She knew that Derek talked to Karen regularly. He hadn't lied to her about that. He had only lied about how he was feeling. He would have broken it off with Ivy sooner, but there was the baby to think about. Could he still be a good father if he wasn't with Ivy?

Really, though, their relationship had been deteriorating for awhile now. He had asked Ivy if she wanted to live together, and she had said no. She was still very independent, and she liked her apartment. He had pointed out that her apartment would be too small when the baby got older, but she said that she would just move.

"We haven't…done anything," Derek said. "Other than talk. It's just…I'm not over her. I've tried. I really have."

"I know," Ivy said. "I've always known. That's why I didn't want to live with you. I knew you still had feelings for Karen. Did you even really mean it when you said you loved me?"

"Of course I did," Derek said. "It's just…Maybe I love you more as a friend, that's all."

Ivy nodded. "Maybe it just wasn't meant to be."

"What about Emily?" Derek asked.

"You'll still see her just as much as you see her now," Ivy said. "Just give me a call when you want to spend time with her. If she's not with me, she'll be with my mom. We can schedule days that you regularly have her."

Ivy's mother had been excited about the baby and had offered to babysit on a regular basis. Ivy had taken advantage of that, and it had allowed her to go back to performing after she had Emily. She had recently been cast in a new show that was heading to a workshop soon.

In fact, Emily was with Leigh right now. He had thought Ivy was bringing their daughter over, and he had been wondering why she had come alone.

"Was there something you wanted to talk to me about, Ivy? I had expected you to bring Emily."

Ivy gave him a sad smile. "Actually, I was coming over to break up with you. I starting second-guessing myself when I saw that necklace. I'm actually a little relieved it wasn't for me."

Derek chuckled. "Well, at least we both know when something isn't working."

Ivy smiled, and Derek poured them both a glass of scotch. Ivy left after they had their drink.

Derek looked at the necklace, and he wondered if Karen was at Table 46 tonight. He picked up the necklace and headed out the door.

He saw the necklace at a little shop a few days ago, and it made him think of Karen. He ended up buying it even though he had no idea at the time when on earth he would give it to her.

He had been talking to Karen at least a couple of times a week since the Tony Awards. He would sometimes see her at "Hit List" and other times would meet her at Table 46. They just sat and had drinks and talked about everything: Broadway, movies, music, television, food. They kept discovering that they had more in common than Derek had thought.

It hadn't taken him long to realize that he wasn't over her at all. But, he was with Ivy and she was with Jimmy. He couldn't believe that Karen would wait for someone while he was in prison. How could Derek compete with somebody Karen loved that much? At least she hadn't talked much about Jimmy when they had their nights of drinking and talking at the bar.

Derek had figured he would never have a chance with Karen because of Jimmy, even if weren't for Ivy and Emily. But, when Jimmy got out of prison, Karen started talking about how much Jimmy had changed. A few months later, she had told Derek that they had broken up. He had wanted to console her more that night, but he was worried that he might do something he would regret.

He wasn't lying when he said nothing had happened between them. Nothing physical, anyway, not since that one night they kissed on her couch and Jimmy showed up on her fire escape. Derek still had no idea if Karen really felt anything for him, but he could swear that he sometimes saw real feelings in the looks she gave him.

When Derek walked into Table 46, his heart started to beat faster when he glimpsed Karen sitting at the far end of the bar. He usually wouldn't feel nervous about talking to her, but tonight was different. Finally, he walked over to her.

"Hello darling," he said. "Mind if I sit next to you?"

Karen smiled at him. "I suppose that would be alright."

Derek smiled back and sat down on the stool next to Karen. He ordered his usual scotch.

"So, how are you this evening?" he asked.

"I'm good," Karen said. "How are you, Derek? How is your show going?"

He had just started working on a new show with a couple of young writers. They were both considerably easier to work with than Jimmy, though.

"It's going pretty well," Derek said. "As well as can be expected at least, with a couple of writers who don't really know what they're doing yet. And how is your show?"

Karen was playing Daisy in "The Great Gatsby." She was working with Tom, Julia, and Eileen again. It felt odd to Derek that he wasn't her director this time, but that probably made it easier if they were going to have a relationship. That is, if Karen was even interested in a relationship with him.

"It's going well," Karen said. "Tom and I are getting along much better than we did on 'Bombshell.'"

Derek nodded. "That's good."

Karen smiled and lightly touched his arm. "He's still not you, though."

Derek took a few sips of his scotch and tried to work up the courage to say what he needed to say to Karen. At least he would know how she felt now, one way or the other.

"Karen, I have something that I need to talk to you about."

"What is it, Derek? You can tell me."

That brought back memories of the time she had rejected him when he had last tried to confess his feelings for her. It made him hesitate for a moment, but he needed to know for sure how she felt. At least, then, if Karen didn't feel the same way, he might be able to finally move on.

"Karen, I still have feelings for you. I'm still…I'm still in love with you."

He was looking down at his drink as he said it, and it took him a few moments to be able to look up at her. When he finally did, he could swear she was giving that look that often made him believe that Karen felt the same way.

"What about Ivy?" Karen asked softly. "And Emily?"

"Ivy and I broke up today," Derek said. "It was mutual. Hopefully we'll still work it out so that I see Emily as often as I do now. Karen…I need to know how you feel about me."

Karen was silent for just a moment, but it felt like an eternity to Derek. "I'm in love with you, too, Derek. I have been for awhile now."

Derek smiled. "Then I should give you this."

Derek handed Karen the box, and she raised her eyebrows. "What's this?"

"Well, open it and find out."

Karen smiled and opened the box. "Oh, Derek, this is gorgeous. When did you get this?"

"I bought it a few days ago," he said. "I saw it in this shop, and I kept thinking about you being my star."

Karen had tears in her eyes now as she looked at the necklace. It was a golden star with dozens of tiny colorful jewels.

"Will you help me put it on?" Karen asked as she turned around.

As he clasped the necklace, he thought about how lucky he was that Karen really felt the same way about him. He had almost given up on her completely so many times.

"Do you like it?" Derek asked as Karen turned back around.

"I love it," Karen said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "And I love you."

As their lips met, Derek still couldn't believe that this wasn't a dream. If it was, though, he never wanted to wake up.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** It didn't take me too long to decide to continue. Thank you for the feedback! This will have flashbacks of what's happened in the past year as well as the current story, and hopefully it will work out okay. Thank you so much for reading and for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!

* * *

_Karen sat at the bar, sipping her third vodka cranberry and wondering how she was going to get through these next several months. Jerry had wanted Daisy to stay in the show, which meant that Karen and the ensemble would have to continue to put up with her night after night. Ana would be leaving soon for the tour, and Karen would be living alone for quite awhile. Ana had said that Karen could get a new roommate in the meantime if she wanted to, but Karen would greatly miss her best friend regardless of whether she got a new roommate for awhile._

_Jimmy was going to be spending the next several months in prison. Karen couldn't believe that she actually had a boyfriend in prison. When she visited him, she was going to be sitting there, separated by glass and talking to him on one of those phones. She frequently saw those conversations in movies and on TV, but she never thought that she would actually be in that position._

_Karen sighed and realized that she had finished her drink, so she ordered another. It seemed like a good night to get drunk._

_"Hello, darling," Derek said from behind her. "Mind if I sit next to you?"_

_Karen gestured to the stool beside her. "Go right ahead. How have you been? I haven't seen you since the Tonys."_

_"I'm alright," Derek said. "I'm sorry that I haven't been by 'Hit List' lately. I've been rather busy."_

_"Spending time with Ivy?"_

_Derek nodded and ordered a scotch. "She's pregnant."_

_Karen almost spat out her drink. "What?"_

_"I'm going to be a father," Derek said. "I had never planned to have children, and yet I'm going to have a baby soon."_

_"Wow. Is 'congratulations' the appropriate thing to say here?"_

_Derek chuckled. "I don't know. It certainly wasn't planned. At least now I know I won't be lonely, I suppose."_

_They sat in silence and drank for a few minutes._

_"Did you hear about Jimmy?" Karen asked._

_"No, what about him?"_

_"He's in prison."_

_Now it was Derek's turn to look at her in shock. "What happened?"_

_Karen told Derek what Jimmy had said the night of the Tonys. "They gave him the lowest sentence, so he'll be in prison for the next six months."_

_"Wow. How did I miss that?"_

_"Well, you've been busy, like you said. Also, Jerry has tried to keep it quiet and has acted like Jimmy is just gone because he has some sort of family emergency. Since the arrest is under Jimmy's real name, he has been able to get away with it."_

_"Are you alright?" Derek asked._

_"I don't know," Karen said honestly. "I guess I'll manage."_

_"Well, I'm still here for you, love," Derek said. "If you need to talk, I'm here."_

_Karen smiled. "Thank you, Derek. And, if you need to talk, I'm here, too."_

* * *

After their brief but wonderful kiss ended, Karen and Derek stood there for a moment staring into each other's eyes. They were in Table 46, surrounded by people, but it was like nobody was there but them.

"Wow," Karen said.

Derek chuckled. "I still can't believe this is really happening. Are you sure this isn't a dream?"

"Pretty sure," Karen said. She pinched herself and then Derek. "Did that hurt?"

Derek laughed. "Yes."

"Well, then I guess this is really happening."

It was almost hard for Karen to believe, too. Her relationship with Jimmy had actually fallen apart partly because of Derek. Once he got out of prison, Jimmy had quickly started to hate how close Karen and Derek were. He couldn't understand why she kept meeting Derek at Table 46 for drinks and kept accusing her of having an affair with him. In a way, Jimmy was right, though. Nothing had happened physically between them since the one night they had kissed on her couch, but in a way, they were having an emotional affair. Karen had realized at some point that she had fallen in love with Derek. She didn't know when exactly it happened, but as of a few weeks ago, she finally knew that it was Derek she wanted to be with.

She didn't tell Derek all of this, of course. She told him that Jimmy had changed, and that was why she had to break up with him. That wasn't really a lie; Jimmy had changed since he had gotten out of prison. He seemed to be colder and a little distant. In the end, though, she couldn't be with Jimmy because he wasn't the one she was in love with. She had once thought she was in love with Jimmy, but now she wasn't sure what that really was. Perhaps it was just a really strong infatuation.

She had thought that she had no chance with Derek because of Ivy and their daughter. She certainly didn't want to break up a family. She still hoped that she wouldn't come between Derek and Emily. She had never actually met Emily, but Derek talked about her quite a bit. She could tell that he had really grown to love being a father.

"So, what do we do now?" Derek asked. "Now that we know this is real?"

"Well, you can walk me home," Karen said. "Then, maybe we can watch one of those movies we talked about together."

"That sounds like a fantastic idea," Derek said with a smile. "What movie should we watch?"

"Why don't we start with 'Casablanca'?" Karen said. "You can't go wrong with 'Casablanca."

"That is very true," Derek said. "'Casablanca' it is."

Derek paid for both of their drinks, and they left Table 46 together.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Thank you so much for the all the reviews, favorites, and follows!

* * *

_"So Daisy comes up to me and says, 'That's what happens when you're a Tony Award winner. How many Tonys have you won? That's right! None! 'And then she laughs and walks off. God, I hate her."_

_Karen quickly drank the last of her vodka cranberry and asked for another._

_"That's awful," Derek said. "I'm sorry that you're being subjected to that."_

_"I'd tell you it's not your fault, but it kind of is."_

_"Yes, that's true, unfortunately. If I could take it all back, I would, darling. You know that."_

_"Yeah, I know."_

_They sat in silence for a few moments. Derek still hated that not only did Daisy have Ana's part, she had actually won a Tony for it. And, it was his fault. He wished that he had a way to actually overrule Jerry. He hoped that Ana was at least enjoying the tour._

_"So, what is it like working on 'Hit List' right now? It isn't too bad, is it?"_

_Karen shook her head. "No, I still enjoy working on the show, despite having to deal with Daisy every day. It sounded like maybe she was coming down with something. Maybe I'll luck out, and her understudy will be in tomorrow."_

_Derek nodded. "How is Matt doing?"_

_Matt was Jimmy's understudy that Jerry was trying to silently transition into the part._

_"He's doing a good job," Karen said. "I miss Jimmy, but I do like working with Matt."_

_They sat and drank in silence for a few minutes again. Derek liked that they could just sit for awhile without needing to talk constantly. It was comfortable, just sitting next to Karen._

_"Have you been to Ronnie's new show yet?" Karen asked._

_"No, I haven't gotten the chance to go," Derek said. "Have you?"_

_Karen shook her head. "No, my 'Hit List' schedule keeps me pretty busy, but I'm going to try to get there soon."_

_"Did you want to go together?" Derek asked._

_"Would Ivy be okay with that?"_

_Derek shrugged. "I don't know. I suppose she might want to go with me."_

_"It's okay. I was actually thinking of going with my parents. They're going to be visiting next week."_

_"Oh, well, say 'hello' to them for me," Derek said. "I might see them, though. I haven't stopped by 'Hit List' for awhile, so maybe I'll do that next week."_

_Karen nodded. "I'm sure everybody would like to see you."_

_They sat and drank in silence for awhile again._

_"Have you ever watched 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'"? Karen asked._

_"The movie?"_

_"No, the TV show. The movie isn't that great. I love the TV show, though. I have all seven seasons on DVD. I'm rewatching all the episodes, and I'm in the second season right now."_

_"I've never seen it. I don't watch that much TV."_

_"I should introduce you to it sometime. I think you'd like it."_

_Derek's phone rang. It was Ivy. "I need to get this."_

_'Is it Ivy?" _

_Derek nodded and walked over to a quieter corner of the restaurant._

_"Where are you?" Ivy asked when Derek answered the phone._

_"I'm at Table 46. Did you want me to come by?"_

_"Yeah, we could order a pizza."_

_"You haven't had dinner yet?"_

_"Well, I had a salad, but I'm always hungry now. Anyway, I'll order the food, and it should be here by the time you get here."_

_"Alright, I'll see you in a little bit."_

_Derek put his phone away and went back over to the bar. "Ivy wants me to come over."_

_Karen nodded. "Well, have a good night."_

_Derek could almost swear that Karen looked a little jealous, but he figured he was probably imagining things._

_"Goodnight, Karen. Enjoy watching 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer."'_

_Karen smiled. "I will."_

* * *

As Karen unlocked her door and let Derek into her apartment, it occurred to him that this was the first time he had been to her apartment in quite awhile. In fact, the last time he had been here was over a year ago. It was the time they sat on the couch, drank wine, and then kissed. He smiled as he realized that he could spend a lot of time kissing Karen now.

As they walked into her living room, he noticed the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" DVD collection.

"Did you finish rewatching those?"

Karen smiled. "Yeah, I did. I never did introduce you to that show, did I? We'll still have to do that. Tonight, though, is all about 'Casablanca.'"

Karen took out the "Casablanca" DVD and put it in the DVD player.

"Did you want some wine? Cheese? Crackers? Popcorn?"

"Everything but the popcorn."

"You never eat popcorn when you watch movies?"

"Sometimes, but I think the wine, cheese, and crackers sound better tonight."

Derek walked into the kitchen and helped Karen with the cheese and plates. Once they had poured the wine into their glasses and were comfortably situated, Karen started the movie.

They were sitting quite a bit closer than the last time he was in Karen's apartment. A little ways into the movie, Karen brushed up next to him, and he put his arm around her. He would occasionally run his fingers through her hair, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I love this movie," Karen said as the movie ended.

"Yes, it is a great movie," Derek said.

"We seem to have went through most of the wine, cheese, and crackers," Karen said, pointing to the nearly empty plates and bottle.

"Yes, we're good at finishing off bottles of wine."

Karen smiled, but then she yawned. "Sorry, it's just been a really long day."

"That's alright, love. I'm tired, too."

Karen nodded and took the plates and glasses into the kitchen. Derek followed.

"I suppose I should get going then," Derek said.

"Yeah, you probably should," Karen said. "I'm not saying that because I don't want you to spend the night. I'm just so tired that I might fall asleep."

Derek laughed. "Yeah, then I should probably leave."

Karen wrapped her arms around Derek's neck and brushed her lips against his. This time, they shared a lingering kiss that really did make him wish he was spending the night.

"Maybe we could go on a date this weekend," Karen said.

"That sounds like a good idea," Derek said. "How about dinner and a movie on Friday night?

"That would be great."

"Alright, then it's a date," Derek said. "Goodnight darling."

"Goodnight, Derek."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!

* * *

_Karen had just finished getting ready to go onstage for her first "Hit List" number and was now busy worrying about talking to her parents later. She was taking them to Table 46 since she was always mentioning the restaurant to them._

_Her parents had arrived earlier in the day. Karen still hadn't told them that Jimmy was in prison. Obviously, they would have questions about why Jimmy wasn't performing. Karen knew that she should tell her parents the truth, but she was very tempted not to._

_A knock on her dressing room door jarred her from her thoughts. _

_"Come in," Karen said._

_"Hello, darling," Derek said. "I just wanted to let you know that I was here."_

_Karen smiled. "You remembered that my parents were going to be here."_

_"Yes, I did. I'm sure that they will love watching their daughter on Broadway."_

_"They were already here on opening night."_

_"Yes, but I'm sure they can't get enough of seeing what a star their daughter is."_

_"Well, I hope they enjoy the performance, because our conversation at Table 46 afterward might not go so well," Karen said. "I still haven't told my parents that Jimmy is in prison."_

_"Oh. Well, perhaps they won't take it that badly. He did it so that he can be a better person for you, didn't he?"_

_"Yes, but I never even told my parents about his drug problems."_

_"What are you planning to tell them tonight then?"_

_"I don't know," Karen said honestly. "I guess I'll decide after the show."_

_"Well, you need to get onstage, so I'll see you later," Derek said._

_Karen focused on the show while she was performing, but the task of telling her parents the truth came right back to her afterward._

_"I can't believe you didn't win the Tony," her dad said as he gave her a hug._

_"You were fantastic, honey," her mom said._

_"Thank you so much, Mom, Dad. Thanks for coming."_

_Derek came over to them. "She really is terrific, isn't she?"_

_"Mom, Dad, you remember Derek."_

_"Of course," Roger said, shaking Derek's hand. "It's nice to see you again."_

_"Likewise. And how are you, Caroline?"_

_"I'm good. How have you been, Derek?"_

_"I'm doing well."_

_Karen had introduced Derek to her mom on opening night for "Hit List." She had liked him right away._

_"Did you want to go to the restaurant with us, Derek?" her mom asked._

_Derek looked at Karen. She nodded._

_"I'd love to," he said._

_"So, where was Jimmy?" her dad asked as they walked._

_"Um, why don't we talk about that when we get to Table 46?" Karen suggested._

_Her dad frowned. "Alright. It isn't something serious, is it?"_

_Karen really wanted to lie, but she decided to tell her parents the truth and get it over with. Once they were seated in the restaurant, Karen took a deep breath._

_"Jimmy…is in prison," Karen said._

_Both of her parents' jaws dropped._

_"What?" her dad said. "How on earth did he end up in prison?"_

_"You never said anything about Jimmy getting in any trouble," her mom said._

_Karen looked at Derek. He gave her a sympathetic little smile._

_"He had some problems with drugs," Karen said. "Five years ago, a girl he was doing drugs with overdosed. It turned out that she was okay, but Jimmy turned himself in recently for it. He did it for me. He's been trying to sober up and be a better person."_

_"You mean he was on drugs when he was seeing you?" Roger said._

_"Yes, for awhile, but he cleaned up after Kyle died," Karen said._

_Her parents still looked horrified. Karen didn't know what else to say._

_"Jimmy did sober up after Kyle's death," Derek said. "He worked hard to bring the show to Broadway to honor his friend's memory. We wouldn't have the show or Karen's wonderful performance without him."_

_Karen smiled gratefully at Derek. She really appreciated his help, but she had a feeling her parents were going to continue to have problems with Jimmy. _

_"I can't believe you lied to us about this!" Roger said, his voice rising a bit. "And, that's not the first time you lied about him. We didn't even know about Jimmy at all until I visited you and saw him sneaking out your window. Of course, now I understand why you didn't want to tell us about him."_

_"Honey, he really doesn't sound like somebody you should be in a relationship with," her mother said. "And, yes, your father is right. We hate that you lied to us."_

_"I didn't lie to you," Karen argued quietly. "I just…didn't tell you everything."_

_There was a horrible, awkward silence after that. Derek attempted to start a conversation at one point._

_"So, how was your trip from Iowa?"_

_"It was fine," her mother answered._

_Karen eventually got up and went to the bathroom. Derek came up to her when she came out._

_"I'm sorry, love, but I have to get going," Derek said. "Ivy wants me to come over."_

_"That's alright, Derek," Karen said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you so much for coming and for trying to help."_

_Derek smiled. "You're welcome, darling. I'm sorry that I couldn't help you out more. Good luck with your parents. Hopefully they'll come around."_

_"Thanks, Derek. Have a good night."_

* * *

Karen's parents called as she was getting ready to go out for dinner and a movie with Derek.

"Hi, Dad," Karen said. "I can't talk long. I'm getting ready to go out for dinner."

"Who are you going to dinner with?" her dad asked.

"Derek," Karen said.

"Oh, is it work-related?" Roger asked. "I know he's not the director of your new show. Is it about a future project?"

Karen decided that it was best to tell her parents the truth about this. Although she had mentioned to her parents that she was friends with Derek, she hadn't really told them how close they were. Now that she was hoping to start a real relationship with Derek, she didn't want to start things off on the wrong foot by lying to her parents.

"We're going on a date," Karen said.

"A date?" her dad said. "You're dating Derek now?"

Karen couldn't tell from her dad's voice what he thought about it.

"Yes, this is our first date," Karen said. The buzzer rang. "Derek's here now. I need to get going, Dad. I'll tell you all about it later."

"Oh. Well, thank you for being honest with us," Roger said. "And, yes, we'll talk about this later."

Karen said goodbye to her dad and answered the door.

"Hello, darling," Derek said. "You look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you," Karen said as she took Derek's arm. "Are you ready for our first official date?"

Derek smiled. "I definitely am. It feels like I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."

"I was just talking to my parents," Karen said as they were walking. "I told my dad that we were going on a date."

Derek's eyebrows raised. "Really? How did they react?"

"I'm not really sure yet," Karen said. "My dad did thank me for being honest with him."

Derek nodded. "Well, I will be happy to talk to them whenever you want me to. I like your parents. They just want what's best for you. I understand that now more than ever."

Karen smiled at Derek as they walked toward the restaurant. She had a good feeling about their first date.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Thank you for reading and for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!

* * *

_Derek checked his phone. Karen had been upset when she had called him yesterday, and he was wondering if she would call or text him when her parents left today. She and her father had been fighting quite a bit about Jimmy during their five days visiting her._

_"Derek? Hello?"_

_Derek looked up. "I'm sorry, Ivy. What were you saying?"_

_"I was asking if you would be free to have dinner with me and my mom on Thursday," Ivy said._

_"Oh, sure," Derek said. "That would be fine."_

_"What's going on, Derek? You've been distracted all evening."_

_"Oh, it's nothing," Derek said._

_He looked down at his phone, and he had received a text from Karen asking him if he could meet her at Table 46._

_"If it's nothing, then why do you keep checking your phone?"_

_Derek sighed. He didn't want to lie to Ivy, and he wasn't doing anything wrong by being friends with Karen, was he?_

_"It's Karen. Her parents have been visiting, and she has been having a lot of fights with them. She just needs a friend to talk to."_

_Ivy frowned. "She doesn't have any other friends she can talk to?"_

_"Well, Ana is off on tour, and that's because of me. Jimmy…You can't tell anybody else this, Ivy, but he's in prison. Karen's just going through a difficult time."_

_Ivy's eyebrows raised. "So, she needs to see you right now?"_

_"I haven't answered her yet, but she was hoping to meet at Table 46 tonight. I can just go after we finish dinner."_

_"Fine."_

_"You're not angry, are you, Ivy? Karen and I are just friends."_

_"No, like I just said, it's fine."_

_Derek wasn't sure if Ivy was really that fine with it, but they didn't talk about it for the rest of their dinner. Instead, they talked about Ivy's upcoming ultrasound and possible baby names._

_Karen was sitting on a bar stool staring into her drink when Derek arrived at the restaurant._

_"How are you doing, darling?" Derek asked as he sat down next to her._

_Karen gave him a weak smile. "I'm okay, I guess. I don't think I've been so happy to see my parents leave since the time they visited and spent the whole time trying to convince me to go back to Iowa."_

_"It was that bad?"_

_Karen nodded. "My dad's been disappointed in me before, but then it was about my career. Now it's because of Jimmy. Apparently, I am always making terrible choices."_

_Derek put his hand on Karen's arm. "They're just worried about you, you know."_

_"I know. I guess the worst thing is, they have a point. I mean, my boyfriend is in prison, and he's had drug problems for a long time. How do I know that he's going to be better when he gets out?"_

_"Well, he loves you, so I'm sure he'll try."_

_Karen nodded. "Yes, but love doesn't really conquer all, does it?"_

_Derek wasn't really sure what to say to that, so they sat and drank in silence for awhile._

_"So, Ivy already went to Ronnie's show with Sam," Derek said. "Did you want to go with me?"_

_Karen finally smiled. "That sounds great, Derek. I'd love to."_

* * *

"This is very romantic, Derek," Karen said as she sat down.

Derek had selected a very nice, and rather expensive, French restaurant to take Karen to for their first official date. There were candles on the table and piano music playing in the background.

Derek grinned. "I can do romance."

Karen smiled and picked up the menu. "Oh, my."

"I know that it's a little pricey, but you can order whatever you want, darling," Derek said. "I wanted to go someplace special for our first date."

"Do you have any recommendations?" Karen asked.

"The filet mignon is very good," Derek said. "You might try the French onion soup, too."

Derek ordered a bottle of wine when the waiter came by.

Karen looked around. "This really is a lovely restaurant."

"Yes, it is," Derek said. "Have I mentioned how lovely you look tonight?"

Karen smiled. "A few times, but I don't mind if you mention it again."

She really did look stunning in her crimson dress. Derek couldn't stop staring at her. That was frequently true anyway but especially tonight.

Karen followed Derek's recommendation when the waiter took their orders. They sat and sipped their wine for a few moments.

"How is your new musical going?" Karen asked.

"It's going well, but it's not the same without my muse," Derek said.

"I'm still your muse?"

"You'll always be my muse."

Karen blushed. "What about your current leading lady?"

"Allison is doing a nice job in the role, but I hope that you and I get to work together again soon," Derek said.

"I'd love for us to work together again, too," Karen said. "But, in terms of us dating, it's nice that we're not. I feel better about seeing you since you're not my boss right now."

Derek nodded. "Well, in that case, I suppose it's good that we're working on separate projects right now. How is 'The Great Gatsby' going?"

"It's good," Karen said. "I really like playing Daisy."

"I bet you're fantastic in that role," Derek said. "I can't wait to see you perform. I miss hearing you sing."

"Well, you'll get to see me perform soon," Karen said. She smiled. "You know, we could always go to a karaoke bar after dinner, and then I could sing for you. Although I suppose it seems odd to follow this fancy dinner with karaoke."

Derek smiled. "That sounds like fun, actually."

"Maybe I could get you to sing," Karen said. "I've never heard you sing before."

"You would have to get me to drink an awful lot of this wine before I would sing karaoke, darling."

Karen smirked. "Well, I will consider it a challenge then."

The waiter brought their food, and they chatted about Broadway and movies as they ate. The dinner went by much too quickly.

"That filet mignon really was very good," Karen said.

"Yes, I always make good recommendations," Derek said, grinning.

"Well, I recommend that we stop by this karaoke bar here, and then I can sing for you," Karen said as they stopped in front of the bar.

Derek went into the karaoke bar with Karen. "Just so you know, love, I'm not nearly drunk enough for you to get me to sing. I will very much enjoy listening to you, though."

Karen just smiled and walked up to the stage as Derek took a seat at a table. Karen was looking at him much of the time as she sang "Run." There weren't many people in there, but they all clapped and cheered when she was done.

"That was absolutely fantastic, Karen," Derek said as she came back to the table. He kissed her hand.

"Thank you. I'll have to get you to sing next time."

"I doubt that you're going to be able to convince me to sing, darling."

"We'll see about that."

Derek still had a smile on his face when they got back to Karen's apartment.

"I had a wonderful time with you, tonight," Derek said. "We'll have to do it again soon."

"How about next Friday night?"

Derek had to think for a moment about when he would have Emily. After all, it wasn't just him anymore.

"That sounds terrific," Derek said. "I'll have to check with Ivy on when I will have Emily, though. You can come over and meet her sometime, if you would like."

Karen smiled. "Of course. I can't wait to finally meet your daughter."

Derek was happy that Karen really wanted to spend time with his daughter. He wanted both Karen and Emily to be a big part of his life.

"Well, I'll let you know when you can come meet her, then. Anyway, we can plan to see a show on Friday night."

"That sounds great," Karen said. "After that, I can make you sing."

"You're not going to let that go, are you?"

Karen laughed. "Nope."

"Well, perhaps you will get to me to sing, but I'm warning you, you will probably regret it."

Karen smiled and looked up at her building. "Well, I'd like a couple more official dates before I invite you up to my apartment, Mr. Wills. But, I believe you have earned a goodnight kiss."

As their lips met, Derek knew that this would be the start of something wonderful.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!

* * *

_"My parents visited last week. I told you last time that they were going to visit, didn't I?"_

_Karen was sitting across from Jimmy with a glass barrier between them. It always felt odd to have to talk on the phone to somebody who was sitting right there._

_"Yeah, I think so. How did that go?"_

_"It was fine."_

_Karen didn't want to sit and tell Jimmy how it really went, especially since he was the reason she was fighting with her parents._

_"Did you tell them about me being in prison?"_

_Karen sighed. "Yes. They didn't take it very well."_

_"Well, I'm doing this for you, you know."_

_"I know."_

_"And, it's not easy. It's tough in here. But, it's the only way I can be good enough for you."_

_"I know, Jimmy."_

_"You don't visit me that often."_

_"I'm sorry, Jimmy. I'll try to visit more."_

_Karen was feeling guilty again. Somehow, Jimmy always made her feel guilty—for putting "Bombshell" ahead of "Hit List" at first, for breaking up with him after his fight with his brother, and now for not visiting him enough while he was serving time in prison to show that he could change for her._

_She found herself thinking about how much she was looking forward to going to Ronnie's new show with Derek later. That just made her feel even guiltier. She knew that she couldn't tell Jimmy about her plans with Derek. It wasn't a date, obviously, but she still knew it would upset him._

_"Well, I need to get going, Jimmy," Karen said. "I have a meeting with Tom, Julia, and Eileen."_

_That was a lie, but she just couldn't sit here any longer. She had told Jimmy that she was planning to do "The Great Gatsby" after she was done in "Hit List," but her meeting wasn't until Monday. It was awful having a boyfriend in prison._

_"Okay, well, you'll try to visit more often, right?"_

_"Right. I'll see you later, Jimmy."_

_Karen was about to set the phone down when saw that Jimmy was still talking._

_"Oh, sorry, Jimmy, what were you saying?"_

_"I love you."_

_"Oh. I love you, too."_

_Later, Karen kept thinking about that day's visit to Jimmy as she got ready to go to Ronnie's show. If Jimmy hadn't told her he loved her, she would have forgotten to say it. What did that mean?_

_The buzzer rang before she could reflect on it anymore. She grabbed her purse and met Derek downstairs._

_Derek smiled at Karen when she came outside. "Are you ready to go see Ronnie? I believe her show is supposed to be pretty good.'"_

_Karen smiled back. "Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it."_

_The show, was, in fact, pretty good. Ronnie was finally getting to be in less of a "good girl" role. She was playing a woman who was cheating on her husband. Karen thought that she was doing a great job with it._

_As Karen sat with Derek, she found herself looking at him and smiling, much as she had when they went to Ronnie's musical over a year ago. Back then, she had thought at times about possibly dating Derek. That was before "Hit List" and Jimmy._

_As Derek smiled back at her, Karen knew that she would need to push those thoughts from her mind. Derek had Ivy and a baby on the way now. She had Jimmy, even if he was in prison._

_Karen looked back up at the stage and tried to concentrate on the musical. She wondered if Ronnie would win another Tony for this one._

_Karen and Derek stopped by Ronnie's dressing room and congratulated her on another successful show._

_"You're great in 'Hit List', too," Ronnie said. "You will definitely have a Tony win in your future."_

_"Thank you, Ronnie," Karen said._

_"I agree with her," Derek said. "You'll be up on that stage thanking everybody soon enough. You're too good not to win a Tony."_

_Karen smiled. "Thanks, Derek."_

_They talked more about the show and Ronnie's chances of winning a Tony on the way back to Karen's apartment._

_"It was nice getting to see Ronnie again," Karen said as they stopped in front of her building. "Thanks for bringing me along, Derek."_

_"Anytime," Derek said. _

_They stood in silence for a few moments. Karen wished that she could invite Derek up to her apartment, just to have drinks and chat. Or, she could introduce him to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" like she had promised. It seemed like a bad idea, but she was still thinking about suggesting it._

_"I should get going," Derek said. "Ivy will be expecting me."_

_"Of course," Karen said, hoping that her disappointment wasn't showing on her face . "Have a good night."_

_"You too, Karen."_

* * *

"So, what did you think of the show?" Derek asked Karen as they left the theater.

They had went to see a new musical that was hoping to make it to Broadway. Karen very much doubted it would make it there, at least without a lot of changes.

"Honestly? I thought it was terrible. I think it's one of the worst musicals I've ever been to."

Derek laughed. "Yeah, it was awful. I thought that it had a chance of being so bad it was good, but then I decided that it was just bad."

"I still don't understand why there were llamas walking across the stage."

"Me neither. And those dogs kept barking whenever the actors would try to say their lines. I couldn't hear anything they were saying. That might have been for the best, though."

"Well, after forcing me to sit through that, you'll have to make it up to me," Karen said.

Derek grinned. "And, how would you like me to do that?"

Karen smirked. "You're going to sing."

"Oh, I should have known you were going to say that. You really don't want me to sing, darling."

"Yes, I do. You can't be that bad. And, even if you are, I won't hold it against you. It's not like you sing for a living."

Derek sighed. "Well, if you insist, love. But, we are going somewhere where I will have a very small audience. Or no audience but you would be even better."

They managed to find a nearly empty karaoke bar.

"Will this be suitable?" Karen asked.

"I suppose," Derek said. "Is there something in particular you want me to sing?"

"We could sing a duet, if you want," Karen said.

"That might be better," Derek said. "Then, at least I don't have to sing alone."

"I know that Summer Nights from Grease is a popular karaoke duet," Karen said. "It can help us forget about the bad music we just heard in that show."

"Sure," Derek said. "Let's get this over with."

Karen laughed. As the music started up though, Derek got into the performance and at least seemed to be having a good time. Karen didn't think he was a bad singer at all, actually.

The few people in the bar were really cheering as Karen and Derek got to the final "but oh, those summer nights." Derek put his arm around Karen, and they were laughing as they left the stage.

"You know, you have a pretty good voice, Derek."

"Oh, you think so?" Derek chuckled.

"You do," Karen said, taking his arm. "You should sing more often."

"Well, I can sing to you in private, if you want," Derek said. "But, that's the last time you're getting me up on a stage singing karaoke."

"Oh, alright," Karen said. "Thank you for singing with me, though, Derek. It was fun."

Derek smiled. 'It actually was rather fun. I enjoy doing almost anything with you, though. Even singing."

As they were walking back to Karen's apartment, Derek's phone rang.

"Hello, Ivy," he said as he answered it.

Karen wondered what Ivy was talking to him about, but she assumed it had to do with their daughter.

"Yeah, I can do that," Derek said. "I'll be by in a little bit."

"What is it?" Karen asked.

"I'm sorry, darling, but Ivy needs me to take Emily for the night."

"Oh, okay," Karen said as an idea occurred to her. "Will you still have her tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I was going to have Emily tomorrow anyway."

"Well, maybe I could stop by and meet her," Karen suggested.

Derek smiled. "I would like that. Why don't you come by my apartment for lunch?"

"That sounds great," Karen said. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

They shared a sweet, lingering kiss before they parted. Karen hoped that things would go well when she met Emily tomorrow.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Thank you for reading and for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!

* * *

_"So Ivy could go into labor at any point now?" Karen said._

_Derek nodded. "I'm just waiting for the phone call."_

_"Derek, I always love drinking and chatting with you, but shouldn't you be with Ivy right now? With the baby coming soon and all?"_

_She had a point. Derek knew that he should be with Ivy, but he was nervous about being a father. Being around Ivy made him even more nervous, so it was easier to sit at Table 46 with Karen. Besides, once the baby was born, he wasn't sure how much time he would be able to spend with Karen. _

_"She'll call me whenever she needs me," Derek replied. "I'm not sure how much I'll be able to see you once the baby comes."_

_Karen frowned a bit but nodded. "Yeah, I know. Ivy and the baby will need you."_

_"I'll still meet you when I can," Derek said. "It just might not be as often."_

_He would find a way to spend some time with her, at least. He couldn't stand the idea of never seeing Karen. _

_"Yes, I'm sure we'll still talk," Karen said. "We're friends, right?"_

_Derek nodded. "Yes. Good friends."_

_"Jimmy's getting out of prison in a couple of weeks, and I haven't really told him that we're still close. I'll tell him when he gets out, but he might not take it well."_

_Derek had forgotten about Jimmy getting out of prison soon. He hoped that Jimmy wouldn't try to stand in the way of their friendship. It certainly could be an issue, though._

_"Well, you must be happy that he's getting out soon."_

_"Yeah, I am."_

_She didn't really seem that happy, though. Derek wondered if maybe Karen wasn't quite as in love with Jimmy now. _

_Derek knew, though, that she would probably be just as in love with him as ever once she started seeing him again. Derek couldn't forget that when she had broken up with Jimmy after the "Bombshell" premiere, she had seemed disgusted with him for awhile. Then, after he showed up on her fire escape, she was right back to being in love with him again. Of course, Kyle's tragic death had happened right after that as well. Derek still wasn't sure what Karen saw in Jimmy, but then, love wasn't exactly logical, was it?_

_"So, how is Ana doing?" Derek asked, changing the subject._

_"She's doing well," Karen said. "The tour is going great, and Ana is enjoying it. She sent me some nice pictures."_

_"That's good," Derek said. "I'm glad it's working out for her."_

_"Yeah. I miss having a friend around to talk to, though."_

_"You have me."_

_Karen smiled. "Not for long. Once Ivy has the baby, you'll be too busy to meet me at this restaurant all the time."_

_They were back to that again._

_"I know I just said that I wasn't sure how often I would be able to see you, darling, but you can still call me whenever you need someone to talk to."_

_Karen nodded. "If you need someone to talk to, I'm here, too."_

_Before Derek could reply, his phone rang. It was Ivy._

_"I think it's time," Ivy said._

_"You think it's time?"_

_"Well, I'm pretty sure that I'm in labor, but I haven't exactly done this before. I'm on my way to the hospital."_

_"Okay. I'll meet you there," Derek said, trying to sound calm._

_"Ivy's having the baby?" Karen said as Derek hung up the phone._

_"It looks like it."_

_Karen put her hand on Derek's arm. "It'll be okay, Derek. You're going to be a great father."_

_"I hope you're right."_

* * *

Derek watched Emily in her playpen. Karen would be meeting his daughter today. She would finally fully be in this part of his life.

One of the toys in Emily's playpen was a stuffed bear from Karen. She hadn't been invited to Ivy's baby shower, but she had still gotten the stuffed animal after Emily was born and given it to Derek. It was one of Emily's favorite toys.

He greeted Karen with a quick kiss as she stepped off the elevator.

"Are you ready to meet Emily?"

"Yes, I've been looking forward to it."

Derek brought Karen over to the playpen. Karen leaned down, and Emily looked at her.

"Hi there, Emily. I'm Karen."

"I have to warn you, she is sometimes a little cranky this time of day," Derek said.

Karen looked up at Derek and smiled. "She's beautiful. She has your eyes."

Derek beamed. "Thank you. You had seen a few pictures of her before, though."

"Yes, but they didn't do her justice."

Derek went over and picked Emily up.

"Can I hold her?" Karen asked.

"Of course," Derek said, handing Emily over to Karen. "You can spend a little time with her, and I'll get the food out of the kitchen."

Derek had just made sandwiches for himself and Karen. Emily's food was already sitting on the table.

When he came back out, Karen was sitting with Emily in her lap. Thankfully, Emily didn't seem too cranky, and she was apparently having fun playing with Karen's hair.

"I see that the bear I got for Emily is in her playpen," Karen said. "Does she like it?"

Derek smiled. "She loves it. It's one of her favorite toys."

"Oh, that's wonderful. I'm glad that she likes it so much."

Derek set down the sandwiches and put Emily into her highchair. He and Karen started eating, and Derek was also giving Emily her spoonfuls of applesauce.

Karen was smiling at Derek.

"What?" Derek asked, chuckling.

"It's just watching you with Emily. You obviously love being a dad."

Derek was smiling, too. "Yeah, I do. Emily has changed my life."

"I remember how nervous you were about being a father before Emily was born. You're a natural, though."

Derek grinned. "I don't know about that. I'm managing, at least. I just hope I don't screw it up as Emily gets older. What about when she's a teenager and boys start showing up?"

Karen laughed. "You have awhile before that happens, Derek."

"Well, I always hear about how fast time goes when you have kids. That they grow up before you know it. I don't want to miss any of the big moments."

"You won't. Are you worried that not being with Ivy might hurt you in that regard?"

"A little," Derek admitted. "But, Ivy didn't want to live with me anyway. We certainly weren't going to get married. And, of course, there's you, love. There's always been you."

"Well, I hope that I can be a part of yours and Emily's lives without causing problems."

"I'm sure we'll figure it out, Karen. I love Emily, and I love you."

"I love you, too, Derek."

It was wonderful hearing Karen say that. He never believed that Karen would love him before. Now here she was, saying this to him and wanting to be in both his and his daughter's lives. He hoped that this could really work out and that they could all be happy.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Thank you for reading and for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!

* * *

_"I went to Rebecca Duvall's new movie this weekend," Karen said._

_"How was it?" Derek asked. "I heard it wasn't very good."_

_"Yeah, it was pretty bad," Karen said. "I wouldn't be surprised if she got a Razzie for that performance."_

_Derek chuckled. "She hasn't been picking the best roles lately."_

_"No, she hasn't,'" Karen agreed._

_Karen was happy that she and Derek had been able to continue meeting at Table 46 even after the birth of the baby and Jimmy's release from prison. As long as Derek was around to help with the baby enough of the time, Ivy didn't say anything. Apparently her mother was helping out quite a bit as well. Jimmy, on the other hand, hadn't been too thrilled with Karen still being friends with Derek, but Karen believed she had convinced him that they were just friends. _

_"So how is Emily?" Karen asked._

_Derek's face lit up at the mention of his newborn daughter._

_"She's such a good baby," Derek said. "And, she's so beautiful. I hope that I can introduce you to her sometime."_

_"I hope so, too," Karen said. "I would love to meet her."_

_Derek pulled out a picture and handed it to Karen. "I'm already becoming one of those fathers who carries pictures around."_

_"Awww, she is adorable!" Karen said. "I actually bought something for her today."_

_Karen pulled out the stuffed bear that she had just bought on the way to the restaurant. She had seen it in a shop window and thought it might make a nice gift for Emily. She handed it to Derek._

_"Oh, thank you, darling," Derek said, smiling. "I'm sure she'll love this."_

_"I hope so," Karen said. _

_Karen knew that she should probably head over to Jimmy's apartment soon. He had rented a new one after he got out of prison. It was hard being around Jimmy, though; it was so much nicer to sit here, chatting with Derek. _

_"I can't believe that I'm almost done performing with 'Hit List,'" Karen said. _

_"Yes, and you'll be working with Tom as your director again. Do you think you'll be able to get through that?"_

_Karen smiled. "It wasn't that bad working with him. As I said before, he just wasn't you."_

_"I'll miss working with you," Derek said._

_They were silent for a few moments._

_"I'm really glad that we're still able to meet like this," Karen said._

_"Me, too. I can't imagine not being able to spend time with you."_

_Their eyes met, and they sat staring into each other's eyes for a long moment. They started to quietly move toward each other. It felt a little like that night at the "Bombshell" party when they had been so close to kissing. Ivy had interrupted them that night. The thought of Ivy snapped Karen out of it, and she turned back to her drink. _

_"Well, Jimmy is probably waiting for me."_

_Derek turned away as well. "Yes, Ivy is expecting me, too."_

_"I'll see you here again on Friday then?" Karen said._

_"Yes, I'll see you then. Goodnight, Karen."_

_"Goodnight, Derek."_

* * *

"So, is Tom driving you crazy yet?" Derek teased.

Karen smiled. "Tom is fine. Since I've only worked with him on Gatsby, his direction doesn't bother me. I don't end up comparing him to you as much. I had already worked with you on 'Bombshell' before, so it was hard to get used to Tom's different ideas."

Derek nodded. "Well, I'm glad that your new show is going well."

"So Emily is with Ivy tonight?"

Derek nodded. "Yes. I'm really glad that you got the chance to meet her. She likes you."

"I'm glad I got to meet her, too. She adorable and she seems really well-behaved, at least from the time I spent with her."

"She is. We got lucky."

"So are you ready to watch 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'?" Karen asked.

"Yes, I'm looking forward to it since you seem to love the show so much."

"We can watch the first couple of episodes tonight," Karen said as she put the first DVD in the player. "Since there are seven seasons, we have something to entertain us for quite awhile. Plus, there are five seasons of 'Angel.'"

"Angel?"

"A spinoff with one of the characters from 'Buffy,'" Karen said. "It's a pretty good show, too."

Derek smiled. "Well, I suppose we should get started then."

Karen's phone rang before she could press "play."

"Sorry, Derek, I have to answer this," Karen said. "It's my parents."

"Hi, honey," Karen's dad said after she answered. "I wanted to let you know that your mom and I are planning to visit next weekend. I decided to go to that conference in New York after all, and your mom's coming along to see you."

"You're coming next weekend?" Karen said, glancing at Derek, who raised his eyebrows.

"Yes," her dad said. "Is Derek there? Am I interrupting a date?"

"Yeah, Derek's here," Karen said. "I was just about to introduce him to 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer.'"

"Well, I'll let you get back to that then," her dad said. "I'll see you next Friday."

"So, I'll be seeing your parents again next weekend?" Derek said after Karen hung up the phone.

"Yep," Karen said. "I hope you will have time to have dinner with us. Since I told Dad that we're dating, I think it's important that they spend time with you."

"Yeah, it should be fine," Derek said. "I like your parents."

Karen hoped that everything would go well when her parents came. It would be the first time her parents had seen Derek since they started dating.

"So, now we can finally watch 'Buffy,'" Karen said as she curled up next to Derek on the couch.

Derek had his arm around Karen as they watched the first two episodes. They were also sipping on the little bit of wine that Karen had left in her apartment. She had made a mental note to buy some more.

"So, did you like the show?" Karen asked as she turned to look at Derek.

"I did," Derek said. "We'll have to make this a regular thing. After all, there are quite a few more episodes to watch."

Their eyes locked, and Derek reached over and cupped Karen's cheek. They slowly leaned toward each other, and their lips met softly. Their gentle kiss soon grew more passionate as Karen wrapped her arms around Derek's neck.

She pulled away slightly, still looking into Derek's eyes.

"Do you want to spend the night?" Karen asked softly.

"Do you want me to?"

Karen nodded. "Yes, I do."

Derek smiled, and they made their way to Karen's bedroom. It felt like this night had been a long time in coming.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Thank you for reading and for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!

* * *

_"Why don't we just talk about this later?" Ivy said._

_"You really don't want to live together?"_

_Derek was confused. It seemed to make sense for Ivy to move in with him so that they could both be with Emily more easily._

_"Do you even really want to live together?" Ivy asked. "Besides, I like my apartment."_

_"But, there would be more room for Emily in mine," Derek said. "Doesn't it make sense for you to move in?"_

_Ivy shrugged. "I can move to a bigger apartment at some point so that Emily can have her own room. Right now, it's not a problem."_

_Derek was frustrated. This conversation seemed to be going around in circles._

_"I'm going to take a walk," he said._

_He walked for several blocks but found he wasn't feeling much better. He still didn't know what he should say to Ivy. He took out his phone and called Karen without even thinking about it._

_"Hi Derek," Karen said as she answered. "What's going on?"_

_"Do you want to meet for coffee?"_

_"Right now?"_

_"Yeah. I need someone to talk to."_

_"Um…sure. I can meet you at Cathy's cafe in about 20 minutes."_

_"Wonderful. Thank you, darling."_

_"No problem."_

_Karen was already sitting at a table when Derek arrived at the cafe. He sat down across from her._

_"Thank you for meeting me, Karen. I could really use a friend right now."_

_"I don't mind. What's wrong, Derek?"_

_"Ivy and I were just having a fight. She doesn't want to move in with me."_

_"Really? Why not?"_

_Derek shrugged. "I don't know. It seems like it would make more sense for us to live together. My apartment would have more room for the three of us."_

_"I don't know what to say, Derek. Maybe Ivy will come around."_

_"Maybe," Derek said._

_"Jimmy and I are having problems, too," Karen said._

_Derek looked at Karen with surprise. "I thought that you two would be so happy to be back together again."_

_"Yeah, I thought so, too, but Jimmy has changed. Or, maybe he hasn't, and I've changed. I don't know. I suppose it makes sense that things between us wouldn't be the same. After all, he just spent several months in prison. It's hard to deal with that, though."_

_"I'm sure you and Jimmy will work it out."_

_Karen just nodded, and they both sipped their coffee for a few minutes._

_"You have your last performance in 'Hit List' this Saturday, don't you?" Derek said. "I should stop by."_

_Karen smiled. "I'm sure everyone there would love to see you."_

_Derek really wanted to just stay here, chatting with Karen, but he knew that he should get back to Ivy. He still didn't know what he was going to say to her. He supposed that he would have to give up on the idea of living together right now. Emily would likely be waking up from her nap soon, though, and he wanted to see her when she woke up._

_"Well, I should probably head back to Ivy's," Derek said. "Emily will probably be awake pretty soon."_

_"Yeah, I should talk to Jimmy, too."_

_"I'll see you on Saturday, though."_

_"Yep. I'll see you then. Have a good night, Derek."_

* * *

Derek woke up in a good mood; it had been a wonderful night. He had his arm around Karen, who was still asleep. He watched her sleep for a few minutes. She was beautiful when she was sleeping. Of course, she was always beautiful.

Karen slowly opened her eyes.

"Good morning," Derek said softly to her.

"Morning," Karen said groggily.

Derek cupped her cheek and kissed her lightly. Karen lazily ran her fingers through Derek's hair.

Derek smiled. "I'm sure my hair is a bit of a mess."

Karen smiled back. "I kind of like it. I'm sure my hair is messier."

"You look beautiful. I don't think it's possible for you not to look beautiful."

Karen laughed. "I don't know about that. I should make some coffee so that I can wake up. I could make us some omelets, too."

"Oh, it's been awhile since I've had an omelet."

"Well, I usually just have cereal in the morning, so it's been awhile since I've had a really nice breakfast, too. I'm good at making omelets, though."

"I can't wait to try one of them."

They shared another kiss before getting out of bed. Karen made the coffee first. Then, she started looking for the ingredients to make the omelets. She was glad to see that she did have all of the necessary ingredients since she had promised to make them.

"Can I help, love?" Derek asked.

"Sure. Do you want to crack the eggs?"

"Absolutely. I'm great at cracking eggs."

They had fun making the omelets together, even if they kept getting distracted by kissing every time they ran into each other.

Karen laughed. "I think that took longer than it should have."

"Well, I am confident that these omelets will be especially great."

"I think so, too," Karen said.

Their lips met yet again for a few moments before they took the omelets out of the pan.

Karen put the omelets on plates and took them to the kitchen. She also poured two cups of coffee.

"This omelet is excellent," Derek said as he took a bite. "You were right. You are good at making omelets."

Karen smiled. "Well, we made these ones together."

"Yes, we did. We should try cooking together more often," Derek said.

"We'll have to put that on our list of future dates."

"I'm sure we'll have plenty of mornings to make breakfast together."

"Yes, I believe there will be many mornings together in our future."

As they finished eating breakfast, Derek realized that he was happier now than he had ever been. He had a daughter and a girlfriend that he loved very much. As Karen smiled at him, he hoped that this wonderful feeling could last for a very long time.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **Thank you for reading and for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!

* * *

_Karen had mixed feelings about tonight. It was her final performance with "Hit List." She was excited about "The Great Gatsby" but also sad that this was her last night of working with this cast and crew. She would really miss them, with the exception of Daisy._

_She was staring at herself in the mirror when she heard a knock on her dressing room door._

_"Come in," Karen said._

_"Hello, darling," Derek said. "How are you feeling?"_

_Karen was glad that Derek was here for her final performance in the show. She really couldn't have imagined him not being here. He hadn't stopped by very much since Emily had been born, and she had missed seeing Derek backstage._

_"I'm sad," Karen said. "I'm excited to move on to the next show, but it's so hard to leave this great cast and crew."_

_"Moving on is part of the business, love." _

_"I know, but that doesn't make it any easier," Karen said. "Thank you for coming, Derek."_

_"I wouldn't miss your final performance," Derek said. "Anyway, I should let finish getting ready. I just wanted to let you know that I'm here."_

_Karen's last performance in "Hit List" went by more quickly than she would have liked. Before she knew it, she was taking her final bows and giving goodbye hugs to cast and crew members._

_Derek was waiting over to the side as she was hugging everyone. He came over to her when she was done and kissed her hand._

_"You were fantastic as always," Derek said._

_Karen smiled. "Thank you, Derek."_

_Derek looked around. "I'm going to miss watching you in this. It's a terrific show."_

_"Yes, it is," Karen said. "'Hit List' had a wonderful director and choreographer."_

_Derek smiled. "The show turned out pretty well in the end. I must have really liked the experience since I'm working with a couple of young writers for my next project as well. That, or I'm glutton for punishment."_

_Karen laughed. "I'm sure that your next show will also be great."_

_"I wouldn't say that yet," Derek said. "I've had a few disastrous shows, too. I'm probably due for another one, especially since I apparently love taking risks lately."_

_"Well, sometimes taking risks pays off," Karen said._

_"I didn't know you were coming, Derek. I suppose I should have, though."_

_Karen turned around. Jimmy had walked up to them._

_"Jimmy, you didn't tell me you were coming," Karen said._

_"Of course I would be here," Jimmy said. "It's your final performance in the show Kyle and I wrote. Apparently you knew that Derek would be here, though."_

_"In case you forgot, Derek directed the show, Jimmy," Karen said._

_"I should go," Derek said quickly. "I'll see you later, Karen."_

_Karen gave him an apologetic smile before turning back to Jimmy._

_"You're having an affair with him, aren't you?"_

_"No, of course not," Karen said. "We're just friends."_

_"You spend more time with him than you do with me."_

_"Well, you were in prison, and Derek has been someone I could talk to."_

_" In case you forgot, I went to prison for you, to show you that I could change," Jimmy said, his voice rising a bit. "I went through all of that for you!"_

_"How could I forget?" Karen said, her own voice rising. "You never let me forget! All you ever do is make me feel guilty, even when I'm not doing anything wrong."_

_"If I make you so miserable, then why are you still with me?"_

_"I don't know."_

_They both stood there in silence for a few moments. Karen looked down at the ground for a little while before she finally looked up at Jimmy again._

_"Maybe my parents are right," Karen said softly. "Maybe this relationship is a bad idea…for both of us."_

_"Are you breaking up with me?"_

_"I guess I am."_

_Jimmy just nodded and walked away without saying another word._

_With tears in her eyes, Karen called an all-too-familiar number._

_"What's wrong?" Derek asked almost as soon as she started talking._

_"Can you meet me at Table 46? I need someone to talk to."_

_"Of course."_

* * *

Karen paced nervously around her apartment. Tonight Derek would be having dinner with her and her parents. When the buzzer rang, she let Derek up.

"Why are you so nervous, love?" Derek asked. "It's going to be fine. Your parents know me, and I promise that I will work very hard to make a good impression on them tonight."

"I know," Karen said as she brushed her hand along Derek's jacket. "I just want this dinner to go well."

"It will," Derek said before giving her a brief kiss and taking her arm.

They were meeting Karen's parents at a steakhouse that Karen was sure they would like. Her parents were staying at a nearby hotel since Karen's apartment didn't have a lot of room.

"Mom, Dad, you remember Derek," Karen said as they met in front of the restaurant.

"Of course, it's wonderful to see you again, Derek," Caroline said.

"Likewise," Derek said, giving Karen's mother a kiss on the cheek.

"Roger, it is good to see you agian as well," Derek said, shaking his hand.

"Yes, I think we'll have a lot to talk about," Roger said. "Should we go in?"

They ordered their food before Karen's dad brought up the topic of their relationship.

"So, I was a little surprised to hear you two were dating, especially so soon after Karen and Jimmy broke up," Roger said. "And, Derek, weren't you in a relationship recently, too? With the woman you have a baby with?"

Karen frowned. Her dad had always gotten straight to the point. Sometimes she appreciated that, but not tonight.

Derek nodded. "Yes, Ivy and I broke up shortly before Karen and I started seeing each other. It really wasn't working out. We were staying together mostly for the sake of our daughter."

"I've had a chance to spend some time with Emily," Karen said. "She is a beautiful baby."

"Well, that must be difficult to balance," Roger said. "Being a father for the first time and being in a relationship with my daughter."

"It can be a little tricky at times," Derek said. "But it seems to be working out well. Ivy has been good about making sure I can spend time with my daughter, and Karen is wonderful with Emily."

Roger nodded. "And you're not her boss now either?"

"I already told you that Tom's directing 'The Great Gatsby, Dad," Karen said. "Derek isn't involved with it."

"No, I'm not working on Gatsby at all," Derek said. "I'm working on a different show. I will say that it's tough working without my muse, but it's good for our relationship to be on different projects."

"Yes, I think that's for the best," Roger said. "I hope that you and Karen can be happy together."

"Derek makes me very happy, Dad," Karen said.

Derek smiled at her. "Karen makes me very happy, too."

Derek and Karen both talked about their new shows as they ate. Karen was thrilled that everything seemed to be going well.

Derek insisted on paying for the dinner.

"It's the least I can do," Derek said.

Karen gave her parents a hug before they parted.

"Thank you for being good to Derek, Dad," Karen said.

"He better treat you well," Roger said.

Karen smiled. "He is, and he will."

Karen was still smiling as she walked back to her apartment with Derek.

"I told you that you didn't have anything to worry about," Derek said.

"Yes, you were right."

Derek grinned. "I often am."

"Do you want to come up?" Karen asked.

"Of course. We'll have to set the alarm, though. I'm picking up Emily early tomorrow morning."

"Alright," Karen said. "If you have to get up early, we better get straight to bed."

Derek kissed her softly before they went inside.

"I believe you are right, love."

"I often am."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** There will be one more chapter after this. Thank you for encouraging me not to just keep this story a one-shot. As always, thank you for reading and for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!

* * *

_Derek took a seat at the bar at Table 46. He was worried about Karen. She had sounded so upset on the phone. He had seen her less than an hour ago, and she had been fine, although Jimmy had seemed a little upset. He was guessing they had a fight._

_"Hey," Karen said as she took a seat next to him._

_Her eyes were red; she had obviously been crying. Derek put his hand on her arm._

_"What happened, love?"_

_"I broke up with Jimmy," Karen said._

_Derek looked at her with surprise. "Are you alright?"_

_Karen nodded. "Yeah. I just couldn't do it anymore."_

_She ordered a beer, and Derek ordered his usual scotch. He wasn't sure what to think about this. Karen had broken up with Jimmy and gotten back together with him before, but somehow, this seemed different._

_"Thank you for coming, Derek," Karen said. "You're a really good friend. You're always there for me."_

_"It's not a problem, darling. You're always there for me, too."_

_They were silent for awhile. Karen stared at her drink most of the time, but she would look over at him and give him a sad little smile occasionally. Derek heard her sniffle and realize that she was crying again._

_"Karen," Derek said softly._

_Karen looked up at him. There were tears on her cheeks. "I've just screwed up so much, Derek. I did a lot wrong, when it came to Jimmy. That's really becoming clear now that I've finally broken it off with him."_

_Without thinking about it, Derek reached over and wiped a tear from her cheek._

_"It's not your fault, Karen. It's going to be alright. You'll be fine, and Jimmy will be fine, too."_

_Karen smiled a bit. "Thank you, Derek, but that's not really what I mean."_

_What did she mean, then? Before Derek could think about it much, his phone rang._

_"Hello, Ivy," he answered._

_"Derek, I need you to come over," Ivy said. "Emily has a fever."_

_"I'll be there in a few minutes," Derek said, worry creeping in almost immediately at the word "fever."_

_"Ivy needs you?"_

_"Emily needs me. She has a fever."_

_"You need to go be with her then," Karen said, putting her hand on his for just a moment. "I'm sure she will be okay, Derek."_

_Derek nodded and gave Karen a quick kiss on the cheek. "You'll be okay, too."_

_Derek was up with Ivy most of the night, checking on Emily and worrying about her. He hated that he felt so helpless. Thankfully, her fever was gone the next day. It had been an awful night. It was hard to get used to being a parent._

_As Derek was walking that afternoon, he ended up stopping by a little jewelry shop. After the stress of last night, he thought that he should get Ivy a present to cheer her up._

_He saw a bracelet that he thought Ivy would like and picked it up. On the other side of the counter, though, something caught his eye._

_It was a necklace with a jewel-encrusted star. As he picked it up, it brought him back to that night of Karen's first time as Marilyn in "Bombshell." That night, she had just broken up with Dev. She had told him that he didn't understand love. He could still see her out there, singing "Don't Forget Me." That night, he had told her that no matter what happened, she was a star._

_She was still a star, and she had shined last night in her final performance of "Hit List" as well. He had no doubt she would shine again in "The Great Gatsby."_

_He had also told her that night that he did understand love. Even then, he was falling in love with her. He still loved her, even if he didn't often want to admit it to himself. They had been through so much, but he had never really stopped loving her._

_He was with Ivy, though, and he was buying a present for her. Still, he found that he couldn't resist buying the necklace for Karen, too. He had no idea when he would give it to her. Her birthday was still months away, but perhaps he could give it to her then. Regardless, he bought the necklace and planned to give it to Karen at some point. After all, she was still his star._

* * *

Derek walked through shop after shop, trying to find the perfect present for Karen. Her birthday was coming up in just a few days. Since he had given that necklace to her quite awhile ago, he needed to find another gift that was just as fitting.

Finally, he found just the right present. He smiled as he walked home. He would make sure that Karen had a wonderful birthday. He dropped the gift off in his apartment and headed over to Karen's to pick her up for lunch.

"What are you grinning about?" Karen asked as she opened her door.

"I got you the perfect birthday present," Derek said.

Karen smiled. "Oh, really? The perfect present? That's putting a lot of pressure on yourself."

"I'm confident that you will love it."

"Well, confidence has never been a problem for you."

Derek chuckled. "Not usually."

He put his arm around Karen's waist as they walked to lunch.

"So, you didn't make any other plans for your birthday, did you? Because I have some surprises for you."

"Oh, really?" Karen smiled. "Well, I guess I will just have to cancel all those other plans I made then. I wouldn't want to miss any surprises from you."

"This is going to be the best birthday you've ever had."

"That's a tall order. Are you sure you can beat the hayride and singalong I had for my twelfth birthday? We even roasted marshmallows."

"Well, that might not be easy, but I'll do my best."

Karen smiled. "I'm sure that anything you do will make me very happy."

As they ate their sandwiches, Derek thought about how far they had come. Who knew that they would ever be together, after Dev, Ivy, Jimmy, and all of the problems they had gone through? It still amazed him.

"What are you thinking about?" Karen asked.

"About how lucky I am to be with you," Derek said.

Karen blushed and smiled. "I think it's me who's lucky,"

"We're both lucky that we're finally together," Derek said.

Karen nodded. "Well, it hasn't exactly been easy."

Derek chuckled. "No, it certainly hasn't."

They just stared into each other's eyes for a few moments. Derek always thought that Karen had the most beautiful eyes.

"So, what are you doing tomorrow?" Derek asked.

"I'm going to start looking at other apartments," Karen said. "My lease is up next month, and I think I want to move someplace new."

Derek was a little hesitant to ask the question in his mind. He had been thinking about it for some time, though, and it seemed like now was the right time to ask it.

"Well, perhaps you could think about moving in with me," Derek said. "If you want to. I don't want to pressure you at all."

Karen looked at him with surprise. "That a big step."

"Yes, but I think we're ready for it," Derek said. "Just think about it and let me know."

He hoped that he didn't sound pushy at all. As much as he wanted Karen to move in with him, he wanted her to be comfortable with it.

Karen nodded. "I'll think about it. Anyway, I'm very much looking forward to seeing what you have in store for my birthday, Mr. Wills. I almost wish it was today."

"It will be worth the wait."

"I'm sure it will."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** This is the final chapter. Thank you so much for reading this and for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!

* * *

_Karen sat at Table 46, staring into her drink once again. She wondered if Derek would come by tonight._

_Since she had broken up with Jimmy, she had spent a lot of time thinking about Derek. She wondered what it would have been like if she hadn't rejected him. She found herself regretting that more and more. She had come to realize how happy Derek made her. At some point, she had developed feelings for him. If she was really honest with herself, she was in love with him. Unfortunately, he had a girlfriend and a daughter now. It was too late._

"_Hello, darling," Derek said from behind her. "Mind if I sit next to you?"_

_Karen smiled at him. "I suppose that would be alright."_

_Even if Derek wasn't available, she was happy that he was here tonight. At least they could remain good friends._

"_So, how are you this evening?" Derek asked._

_She was lonely, but she didn't want to say that to Derek._

"_I'm good. How are you, Derek? How is your show going?"_

"_It's going pretty well. As well as can be expected at least, with a couple of writers who don't really know what they're doing yet. And how is your show?"_

_Karen was enjoying her work in "The Great Gatsby." Although she missed everyone in "Hit List," she found that it was great to be working on a new project. She was surprised that working with Tom was going so well. It helped that she didn't disagree with his ideas all the time since she didn't have Derek's ideas in her head._

"_It's going well. Tom and I are getting along much better than we did on 'Bombshell.'"_

"_That's good."_

"_He's still not you, though."_

_She couldn't imagine that any director could ever match Derek to her. He would always be her favorite director._

_Derek sipped on his scotch for a little while. Karen sipped her vodka cranberry and wondered what Derek was thinking about._

"_Karen, I have something that I need to talk to you about."_

"_What is it, Derek? You can tell me."_

_That was out of Karen's mouth before she realized that was the same thing she had said over a year ago before she had rejected him. That brought back all of the regret she felt about never seeing if a relationship between her and Derek would work. She had been so infatuated with Jimmy at the time, and she had always been a little afraid of starting something with Derek, especially since he was her director._

"_Karen, I still have feelings for you. I'm still…I'm still in love with you."_

_Karen couldn't believe it. Derek still felt this way, after all this time? After everything that had happened between them? And he had used the word "love." Still, there was Ivy and his daughter to think about._

"_What about Ivy? And Emily?"_

"_Ivy and I broke up today. It was mutual. Hopefully we'll still work it out so that I see Emily as often as I do now. Karen…I need to know how you feel about me."_

_Was this really happening? Was she really getting a second chance?_

"_I'm in love with you, too, Derek. I have been for awhile now."_

_Derek smiled. "Then I should give you this."_

_Derek pulled out a box. Karen was very curious what exactly he could be giving her. It wasn't her birthday._

"_What's this?"_

"_Well, open it and find out."_

_Karen opened the box and saw the beautiful necklace. It was a golden star with dozens of tiny jewels._

_Karen smiled. "Oh, Derek, this is gorgeous. When did you get this?"_

"_I bought it a few days ago. I saw it in this shop, and I kept thinking about you being my star."_

_That was one of the most beautiful things anyone had ever said to her. She thought about that first preview, when he had told her that she was a star. He had given her the confidence to be one._

_Karen's eyes filled with tears._

"_Will you help me put it on?"_

_As Derek stood behind her and clasped that necklace, she thought about that same night when he said that did understand love. Had he loved her this entire time, through all of the fights and the times when they hurt each other? She was so amazed and happy that it wasn't too late after all._

"_Do you like it?"_

"_I love it," Karen said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "And I love you."_

_As their lips met, Karen still couldn't believe that this was really happening. She wanted this feeling to last forever._

* * *

Karen woke up with a feeling of excitement. It was her birthday, and she couldn't wait to see what surprises Derek had in store for her.

First, she had to open the present from her parents. She had received it two days ago, but she had promised her parents that she would open it on her birthday while she was on the phone with them. She knew they would be calling in a few minutes.

"Happy birthday, Karen!" her mom and dad said at the same time when she picked up the phone. They had her on speakerphone.

"Thank you, Mom, Dad," Karen said. "So, do I finally get to open this present?"

"Yes, of course," her dad said. "We hope you'll like it."

"I'm sure I will," Karen said as she opened up the package. Inside was a collage picture frame with some of her favorite pictures of her family and friends from Iowa. "Oh, this is wonderful! Thank you so much!"

"I'm glad you like it," her mom said.

"So, does Derek have any plans for your birthday?" her dad asked.

"He's taking me out today, and he says that he has surprises for me."

"Well, you'll have to tell us all about it tomorrow," her mother said.

Karen chatted with her parents for awhile and then found a spot to hang the collage picture frame in her room. She then got ready to go out with Derek.

She was taking one final look in the mirror when the buzzer rang. Derek was smiling as she opened the door.

"Happy birthday, love," Derek said, handing Karen a box.

Karen smiled and set the box on the table. "Thank you. I can't wait to see what this is."

When she turned around, Derek pulled her close to him and gave her a long, sweet kiss.

"Well, I'm liking my birthday so far," Karen said.

"Go ahead and open the present, darling," Derek said.

Karen gently took off the very nice wrapping paper and then took the top off the box. Inside was a music box with images from "The Wizard of Oz" on the side and a pair of ruby slippers on top. When she wound it, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" played.

"I know that wasn't always a successful audition piece for you, but you sing it beautifully," Derek said.

Karen smiled. "Oh, Derek, I love it."

"I have a card for you, too," Derek said, handing her an envelope.

Inside the birthday card, Derek had written, "You really are beautiful in every single way. I love you."

"That's so sweet," Karen said, leaning over and giving Derek her own lingering kiss. "I love you, too."

"Well, now it's time for dinner and some singing," Derek said.

"Who's singing?" Karen asked.

Derek smiled. "You'll see."

After dinner at one of Karen's favorite Italian restaurants, they went to the same karaoke bar where Karen had sung to Derek earlier.

"Are you going to make me sing on my birthday?"

Derek chuckled. "No, I was going to fulfill your wish and attempt to sing whatever you would like me to sing."

"Oh, you're going to sing for me?" Karen said, smiling.

"Only if you're sure you really want me to," Derek said. "I wouldn't blame if you decide that isn't what you want on your birthday."

"Why don't you just sing 'Happy Birthday' to me?" Karen said.

"Do I need to try to sing it like Marilyn Monroe?"

Karen laughed. "No, just sing it like Derek Wills."

Derek smiled and walked up to the stage. "I won't force all of you to listen to much of my singing. I will just sing 'Happy Birthday' to the woman I love, Karen Cartwright."

Derek started to sing "Happy Birthday," and the audience joined in and cheered at the end. The bartender gave her a free drink.

"So, was that the best birthday you've ever had, darling?" Derek asked as he sat back down.

"Hmmm…Well, pretty close," Karen teased. "I really did love those marshmallows."

Derek reached over and stroked Karen's cheek. "Well, your birthday isn't over yet. We still have a little more private celebrating to do at my apartment."

"That's certainly something to look forward to. I'll be spending a lot of time at your apartment soon. The answer to your question is yes, by the way."

Derek's face lit up. "You're going to move in with me?"

Karen smiled and nodded. "Yes, I am. If you still want me to, that is."

Derek leaned over and brushed his lips against hers. "Of course I do. It's your birthday, and I'm the one who gets the present."

"Just getting to be with you is a present," Karen said. "I love you, Derek Wills."

"I love you, too, Karen Cartwright."

As they walked back to Derek's apartment, Karen knew that this really was the best birthday she had ever had.


End file.
